Is that free coins offer real? How to spot gaming scams

A message pops up in your child's game: "Free 5,000 coins! Click here before midnight." Most kids can tell something is off. The ones who can't are the ones scammers are counting on. Gaming scams work because games run on things children want: rare items, in-game money and friends. Here is how the common tricks work, and what to set up so one bad click doesn't cost you an account or a card.

Why games attract scammers

Virtual currency and rare items have real value, and accounts can be resold. A hijacked account may hold years of purchases, saved payment details and a friends list to spam. Children are also trusting in chat and excited about rewards, which makes them an easy target.

Security advice from Common Sense Media and McAfee describes the same handful of patterns again and again. Learn these four and you will recognise most of what you see.

The four tricks to know

1. The free-currency offer

A link, video or chat message promises free coins, skins or discounted currency. The page asks for a login or card details, or tells you to download a "generator" tool. Real currency isn't given away by random links. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

2. The friendly stranger

Someone in chat is very nice, then asks for a password, a code, or for your child to "test" a file. Scammers build trust first. A real friend doesn't need your password.

3. The fake mod or cheat

Files that promise aimbots, free upgrades or "mods" can hide malware that steals passwords and payment details. Download mods and games only from official stores and the game's own site.

4. The panic message

"Your account will be banned in 24 hours unless you log in here." Urgency is a pressure tactic. The safe move is to ignore the link, open the game or website yourself and check there.

Try it: scam or real?

What to set up before anything goes wrong

Teaching your child to spot scams helps, but settings protect you on the day they get fooled. These steps are recommended by the security guides above and cost nothing.

Turn on two-factor authentication. This adds a code from a phone or app on top of the password, so a stolen password alone is not enough to get in. Do it on the console or platform account and on the game's own account.

Use a long, unique password for each account. McAfee suggests 14 characters or more. A password manager makes this easy for the adults; for a child, a long phrase of unrelated words works.

Never share passwords or codes, even with "friends". Make it a family rule with no exceptions. Real support staff will not ask for your password.

Control how money can be spent. Remove saved cards from a child's account or require approval for purchases using the platform's parental controls. A card gives you more chance to dispute a charge than some other payment methods.

Explain that virtual currency is real money. A child who knows that 5,000 coins cost something will be more doubtful about someone giving them away.

If your child already clicked

Stay calm and make it safe to tell you: kids hide mistakes when they expect punishment. Then change the password on the affected account, and on any other account that used the same one. Turn on two-factor authentication, check for purchases you don't recognise, sign out of all devices if the platform offers it, and contact the game's official support through its own website. If a card was used, tell your bank. Report the scammer in the game.

What to look for

A scam message usually has at least one of these: a reward you didn't earn, a link instead of an in-game or official-store route, a request for a password or code, a download you never asked for, or a deadline that rushes you. Spot one and it is safe to close the message. When in doubt, go to the game or store yourself and check there.